Newmai News Network
Imphal: Forum for Restoration of Peace in Manipur (FRPM) expressed apprehension today that the recently formed peace committee by the Central government can serve its purpose.
The Central government on June 10 constituted the Peace Committee in Manipur with the Manipur Governor as chairperson to help establish peace, social and communal harmony among various ethnic groups and promote a sense of security in the general public.
Among the 51 members appointed as members of the committee are the Manipur chief minister, ministers, MLAs, politicians.
Interestingly, no member of the Forum for Restoration of Peace in Manipur which was formed by various leaders was included in the Centre sponsored Peace Committee.
“We doubt that the Peace Committee will serve its purpose,” said convener Ashang Kasar of FRPM at a press conference held in Imphal’s Manipur Press Club today.
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He pointed out that the Centre’s Peace Committee had representatives from conflicting communities besides ministers, MLAs and politicians as members.
He believed that the restoration of peace would be possible only by the intervention by a third party.
The third party should act as a bridge to ease the misunderstanding between the two conflicting communities, he also said.
Ashang Kasar further said that inclusion of ministers, MLAs and members from the conflicting communities will make it hard to bring a solution so far as the present conflicting situation is concerned.
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Ashang Kasar suggested that Manipur is a land inhabited by 34 tribes and representatives from each tribe should be included in the committee. In the absence of the representatives from each tribe, the committee will not serve its purpose, he reiterated.
He said that during the visits by Union Home minister Amit Shah and NEDA convener and Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, the Forum for Restoration of Peace in Manipur had stressed the need for formation of a peace committee to restore peace and normalcy in the state.
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However, no representative of this FRPM was included in the 51 members of the Central government sponsored Committee.
The forum will work tirelessly to bring back normalcy and peace in the state, Ashang Kasar said.
The forum has been working for restoration of peace in the state and will continue to do so, he added.
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